Mimus polyglottos

Order

Family

Code 4

Code 6

ITIS

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOS

CONSERVATION STATUS

The Northern Mockingbird has a large range, estimated globally at 10,000,000 square kilometers. Native to the North America and nearby island nations and territories, this bird prefers temperate, subtropical or tropical forest and shrubland ecosystems as well as rural gardens and degraded former forest areas. The global population of this bird is estimated at 45,000,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Northern Mockingbird is Least Concern.

SUMMARY

Overview

Northern Mockingbird: This medium-sized bird has gray upperparts, paler gray underparts and a faint eye line. The wings are gray-black with two white bars and large white patches, visible when spread. It has a long, gray tail edged with white, yellow eyes and black legs and feet. Feeds on fruit and insects. Several quick wing strokes alternated with wings pulled to the sides. Sexes are similar.

Range and Habitat

Northern Mockingbird: Breeds from northern California, southern Nebraska, southern Ontario, and Maritime Canada southward to southern Mexico and the West Indies. Spends winters in the southern parts of its range. Found in residential areas, city parks, farmlands, open country with thickets, and desert brush.

Northern Mockingbird SONGS AND CALLS

Northern Mockingbird A1

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High-pitched begging calls from a juvenile.

Northern Mockingbird A2

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Call is a repeated "chew".

Northern Mockingbird 1

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"Diddle diddle" phrase can help distinguish it from other mimics.

Similar Sounding

Brown Thrasher A1

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Song is a series of conversation-like doubled phrases and pauses.

Yellow-breasted Chat A3

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Song is a variable collection of harsh notes and whistles.

Hwamei D1

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Varied song includes whistles and imitations.

Northern Cardinal 3

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Song is a collection of whistles and downslurred trills, "wheet-wheet-wheet, tew-tew-tew".

Voice Text

"Chack"

INTERESTING FACTS

The Northern Mockingbird is the state bird of Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas.

The Northern Mockingbird voraciously defends its territory, attacking intruders including house pets and even people.

The often observed behavior of birds flashing their white wing patches is still unexplained. Theories include it being used to startle prey or intimidate predators.

A group of mockingbirds has many collective nouns, including an "echo", "exactness", "plagiary", and a "ridicule" of mockingbirds.

RANGE MAP NORTH AMERICA

About this North America Map

RANGE MAP HAWAII

About this Hawaii Map

This map shows how this species is distributed across the Hawaiian island.

FAMILY DESCRIPTION

Mockingbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae)

ORDER

Also known as perching birds, the order PASSERIFORMES (pronounced pas-ser-i-FOR-meez) is composed of one hundred and eighteen families that range from the tiny kinglets to the aquatic dippers and the highly vocal mockingbirds.

FAMILY TAXONOMY

A bird family restricted to North and South America, there are thirty-four species of mockingbirds and thrashers in ten genera in the Mimidae (pronounced MIH-muh-dee), (also known as "Mimids").

NORTH AMERICA

There are twenty-four species of Mimids in ten genera in North America. The well-known Northern Mockingbird is included in this group along with catbirds and the terrestrial thrashers.

KNOWN FOR

Mimids are most well known for being very accomplished singers. Most species frequently sing loud, complex songs that include imitations of other bird species; the Northern Mockingbird being particularly gifted in this respect.

PHYSICAL

Small-to-medium sized bird, Mimids are slender with long tails, short wings, and fairly long legs. Their bills are thin and straight in some species and strongly downcurved in the case of thrashers.

COLORATION

Except for the Blue Mockingbird (a rare visitor from Mexico), Mimids lack bright colors and are plumaged in shades of gray, white, and brown with black markings. Several species have white wing bars and white markings in the tail; most thrashers are streaked or spotted on the underparts.

GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT

Mockingbirds, catbirds, and thrashers are most common in warmer climates (especially in the southwestern United States), and are birds of non-forest habitats. Catbirds skulk in second growth in the east while in the southern United States mockingbirds sing from open, park-like habitats and the tops of houses. Brown Thrashers live in similar habitats in the east and are replaced by other thrasher species in various arid and shrubby habitats in the west.

MIGRATION

Apart from a sole long distance migrant that spends the winter in humid second growth in Mexico and Central America (the Gray Catbird), Mimid species are ether short distance migrants or permanent residents.

HABITS

Mimids pair up to breed but do not form flocks. Nevertheless, they are very communicative birds that frequently vocalize to keep in touch with their mates or delineate territories. Primarily terrestrial in nature, Mimids forage in thick undergrowth and on the ground for arthropods and other small creatures.

CONSERVATION

Adapted to non-forest habitats, most Mimids are common birds. However due to its dependence upon sage brush, a habitat increasingly threatened by development and conversion to agriculture, the Sage Thrasher is a species of concern in many areas where it occurs.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Northern Mockingbird sings more than most other birds, mimics other birds and non-bird sounds such as car alarms, and commonly sings for several hours during the night; a trait some people find annoying, particularly when the mockingbird sings from the top of their house.

The line of feathers just in front of and behind the eyes. It extends back from the posterior angle of the eye. This can be a useful trait used in identification in the field since it is very noticeable.